Elon Musk, who has taken a step back from his role in the Trump administration, said on Friday that he came to the “obvious conclusion” that “accelerating GDP growth is essential” to saving the United States from the national debt crisis.

Musk, whose massive donations to President Donald Trump and Republicans in 2024 helped secure the White House and Congress for the GOP, said earlier this week that he would donate “a lot less in the future” in political contributions. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has also taken a step back from his role guiding the Department of Government Efficiency to focus more on his companies.

Responding to a conversation on X about the Republicans’ “Big, Beautiful Bill,” Musk revealed more of his thinking on his decision, which he confirmed was focused on pushing for “radical” GDP growth through humanoid robots.

The conversation was sparked when one X user wrote, “Given the disastrous GOP bill, the only chance the US has is explosive GDP growth. If that doesn’t happen in the next 2-3 years, we are cooked.”

Another person replied to the post, writing, “I wonder if this [is] why Elon has somewhat moved away from politics in order to accelerate GDP growth with humanoid robots. If he believes this is the only solution then this would be his most logical choice.”

Musk, who goes by the name “Kekius Maximus” on X, responded to the second post and confirmed that it accurately depicted his thinking on the issue.

“I have come to the perhaps obvious conclusion that accelerating GDP growth is essential. @DOGE has and will do great work to postpone the day of bankruptcy of America, but the profligacy of government means that only radical improvements in productivity can save our country,” Musk wrote.

Tesla is currently developing an “autonomous humanoid robot capable of performing unsafe, repetitive or boring tasks.” Musk appears to be re-focusing on the project after spending months around the White House advising President Donald Trump and pushing to cut government spending. Last week, the Tesla CEO posted a clip of a robot dancing with human-like movements.

🕺 pic.twitter.com/NzqAmN3F5z

— Kekius Maximus (@elonmusk) May 13, 2025

In another post in April, Musk showed a video of a humanoid robot speeding up and slowing down while walking.

Accurate actuators accelerate automation pic.twitter.com/5H0uHxf7v2

— Kekius Maximus (@elonmusk) April 2, 2025

Musk believes that robots will play a major part in the global economy and have an effect on the GDP of some countries within five years. Last year, he predicted that there would be 10 billion humanoid robots on Earth by 2040, sold for $20,000 to $25,000 each. He also said in April that “robots will surpass good human surgeons within a few years and the best human surgeons within ~5 years.”

Musk’s explanation for focusing more on his companies and less on politics comes after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday morning that he is pushing to grow the economy “faster than the debt.” Bessent argued that Americans concerned with the massive federal debt should focus on the debt-to-GDP ratio “because we can grow our way out of this.”

“If we change the growth trajectory of the country, of the economy, then we will stabilize our finances and grow our way out of this,” Bessent added.

Recording artist Billy Joel has canceled all his upcoming shows and shared a health update with fans.

The 76-year-old singer shared a lengthy statement on social media, which included news of his medical diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).

Per the Alzheimer’s Association, this condition occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull and presses on the brain. This can “disrupt and damage nearby brain tissue, leading to difficulty walking, problems with thinking and reasoning, and loss of bladder control.”

The condition has been exacerbated by his recent tour schedule, and has led to issues with Joel’s hearing, vision, and balance.

The statement on Instagram said the “Piano Man” singer has been “advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.”

It also said Joel is “thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health. He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”

“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” Joel said in a statement.

This news comes after Joel took a fall onstage at the Mohegan Sun resort in Montville, Connecticut, in February and subsequently postponed the rest of his tour. Now those rescheduled dates are being canceled indefinitely.

Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships

At the time, Joel said only that the concert tour changes were due to a “medical condition.”

Joel is an iconic American singer-songwriter and pianist known for hits like “Piano Man,” “Uptown Girl,” “Tell Her About It,” “The Longest Time,” and “New York State of Mind.” With over 160 million records sold, he’s one of the best-selling artists of all time, with a career that’s been going strong since the 1970s.